Ohio Adopts New Congressional Map Giving GOP an Extra Edge In Two Districts

The Ohio Redistricting Commission adopted new congressional maps Friday giving the GOP slightly better odds in two Democratic-held districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

After an hour of heated public testimony against the map, the commission voted for the congressional district plan unanimously. The crowd began to boo as co-chair Rep. Brian Stewart (R) wrapped up the meeting, with one person shouting, “you sold us out!”

The new map makes two districts currently held by Democrats slightly more favorable for Republicans ahead of next year’s midterm elections. According to reports earlier this week, Ohio Democrats decided to accept the new proposal rather than risk Republicans shoving an even more partisan gerrymander through the GOP-controlled General Assembly. The new map was only unveiled Thursday.

Democrats hold only two seats to the GOP’s five on the Ohio Redistricting Commission, and are heavily outnumbered in the General Assembly. An attempt to make Ohio’s redistricting process bipartisan through a 2018 constitutional amendment fell short, allowing a determined majority to ram through partisan maps if the state legislature and the redistricting commission both fail to adopt a bipartisan compromise. 

Ohio currently sends 10 Republicans and 5 Democrats to the U.S. House. The new maps could increase the GOP’s share to 12. Or, if Democrats outperform in 2026, it could put a few, previously safe red seats into play. 

According to statistics compiled by commission staff, the new map will create 12 districts where Republicans outperformed Democrats across statewide races between 2016 and 2024 and three where Democrats captured more votes on average. Seven of those GOP-leaning districts would be considered competitive, while one of the Democratic-leaning districts — the 13th, held by Rep. Emilia Sykes (D) — would be a toss-up. 

The new map will make the district held by Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D) redder than it already is; it backed President Donald Trump by 7 points in 2024. In a statement, Kaptur, 79, vowed to run for a 23nd term. “I remain committed to serving Northwest Ohio and will seek re-election with a renewed focus on accountability and protecting the voice of the people,” Kaptur said. “Our democracy works best when voters choose their leaders, not when politicians choose their voters.”

Ahead of the vote, members of the public pleaded with the commission to respect voters’ intent.

 “We’re asking you to obey the law,” said Mia Lewis, an associate director at Common Cause Ohio. “Like the rest of us, every one of you understood the purpose of the redistricting reform ballot measures in 2015 and 2018: to end gerrymandering.”

Unless it is overturned by a lawsuit, this map will remain in place until 2031. 

Unlike other states redistricting in response to President Donald Trump’s demands for all-out partisan gerrymandering, Ohio was already required to redraw its congressional map this year. 

The redistricting process adopted in 2018 first allows the Ohio state legislature a chance to pass a bipartisan congressional map. If they don’t, then the Ohio Redistricting Commission has a shot at passing a bipartisan map. But if the commission cannot, the issue returns to the General Assembly, which can then adopt a map without bipartisan support for four years (rather than the normal ten year period).

The GOP-dominated General Assembly adopted a partisan map in 2021. 

Democrats feared Republican state lawmakers would have pushed for a map that would have all-but-ensured a 13-2 split. That would take the Ohio House delegation from two-thirds Republican to 87% in a state where Trump won 55% of the vote in 2024.